Coupling system for motorized vehicles

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a coupling device which, when mounted to a transport, serves to catch and immobilize a moving vehicle equipped with a coupling unit. The coupling device may be mounted onto a snowmobile trailer and includes a coupling system which effectively couples onto a snowmobile ski eyelet when the ski enters a coupling zone. The device includes appropriate mounts for mounting the device to the snowmobile trailer bed and a ski impacting plate which, when struck by the ski, causes a coupling pin retainer to move sufficiently to release the coupling pin. The released coupling pin couples to the eyelet and stops the snowmobile from further movement.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a coupling device and its use and moreparticularly a device for coupling and securing a motored vehicle onto avehicular transport and the method for using the same.

Background of the Invention

It is conventional to transport to a work or recreational site motoredvehicles such as all terrain vehicles, garden tractors and mowers, golfcarts, snowmobiles, etc., upon a vehicular transport such as trucksfitted with beds, trailers, carriages, and the like. The currentpractice is typified by the transporting of snowmobiles upon trailers toand from a snowmobiling recreational site. Although the transport ofsnowmobiles has been popular for several decades, little, if any,advances have been made in the manner snowmobiles are loaded and securedonto the transporting vehicle.

The most common procedure for loading a snowmobile onto a transportingtrailer involves driving the snowmobile onto the trailer, stopping thesnowmobile and then latching or securing a snowmobile onto thetransport. Transporting trailers are often equipped with ramps whichpermit the snowmobile to be ramped onto the trailer bed withoutinclining or declining the bed. Frequently, the trailer beds arepivotally mounted so that the bed serves as a ramp. The pivotallymounted trailers are typically weighted so as to remain at an inclinedramping position until counter-balanced by the snowmobile weight whichpivotally returns the bed to a horizontal position. With trailersequipped to haul two or more snowmobiles, the bed must be placed onto ahorizontal position after each snowmobile loading in order to secure thesnowmobile thereto, with this sequence being necessarily repeated foreach snowmobile which is loaded onto the trailer. Irrespective ofwhether the trailer bed is inclined or ramped for loading the snowmobilethereupon, the snowmobile and bed are thus typically placed or returnedto a horizontal position in order to secure the snowmobile thereto.

Serious injury and damage to persons and property have arisen inaccidents occurring during the loading and unloading of snowmobiles ontotrailers or other transporting vehicles. Snowmobiles have overshot theloading bed causing serious injury and damage to both the person andproperty. Injury and damage often arises by sliding backwards orsideways off an icy or slippery trailer which tends to arise after thepower has been reduced or stopped during the loading operation. Suchinjury and damage could be substantially curtailed if it were possibleto latch and immobilize the snowmobile while the snowmobile remainsunder motorized power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device for safely immobilizing andsecuring a moving mobile unit (e.g. such as a snowmobile) onto avehicular transport such as a trailer. The device, when properlyanchored, may be appropriately used for coupling and immobilizing amotored vehicle (equipped with a coupling unit or as frequently referredto as a "catch") onto a vehicular transport. The coupling andimmobilizing device, in general, comprises:

a) means for positionally anchoring the device onto the vehiculartransport within a coupling zone;

b) means for detecting an entry of the motored vehicle within thecoupling zone; and

c) means for releasing and coupling a coupling member onto the couplingunit in response to the entry of the motored vehicle onto said couplingzone, and thereby immobilizing the motored vehicle within said couplingzone.

The device may appropriately include a latching mechanism activated byimpacting of the motored vehicle (e.g. such as a snowmobile) upon adetecting unit. The detecting unit may be a pivotally mounted platewhich in the case of snowmobiles serves a means for detecting the entryof a snowmobile ski tip within the coupling or latching zone. Impactingof the ski tip upon the impacting plate initiates sufficient pivotalmovement of retaining plate to release a coupling plunger retainedthereby.

The device is securely mounted or anchored onto the vehicular transportat a position such that the impacting of the moving snowmobile ski tipupon the detecting unit causes the plunger retaining plate to releasethe coupling plunger which, in turn, latches onto a coupling unit orcatch, such as an eyelet, securely affixed onto the moving snowmobileski tip. The eyelet in combination with the plunger securely immobilizesthe snowmobile onto the anchored device.

The present device provides a safe method for latching and securing amoving snowmobile onto a vehicular transport. The device may be used bysimply ramping the trailer to an appropriate inclined position so as topermit one or more snowmobiles to be driven onto the vehicular transportin such a manner so that the ski tip impacts upon an impacting platewhich triggers the release of a latching pin which latches onto theeyelet catch of the ski and thereby instantly immobilizes the snowmobilefrom any further movement thereupon. Once the snowmobile is immobilizedby the latching pin, the operator of the snowmobile stops the motor ofthe latched snowmobile. The latched snowmobile may, thus, be immobilizedagainst any backward movement upon the ramped trailer. If the snowmobiletrailer is equipped for the ramping and loading of two or moresnowmobiles thereupon, there is, accordingly, no need during the loadingoperation to unramp and reramp the trailer since the device securelylatches and immobilizes each snowmobile impacting and caught by thedevice while the vehicular bed remains in the ramping or inclinedposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the coupling and immobilizing device of thisinvention attached to a front wall portion and a bed portion of avehicular transport.

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2 andshows a snowmobile ski tip approaching the coupling and immobilizingdevice of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view depicting an eyelet of a snowmobile tipcoupled and immobilized by the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a snowmobile trailer equipped with the couplingand latching device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 1which shows in greater detail an unlatched coupling member shown in FIG.3.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view depicting the coupling member of FIG. 8in a coupling position.

FIG. 10 is another cross-sectional view depicting restraining stop ofthe device shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

With reference to the Figures, there is provided pursuant to the presentinvention a device (generally referenced as 1) for coupling or latchingand immobilizing a motored vehicle V equipped with a catch or couplingunit C onto a vehicular transport (T) within a coupling or latching zoneZ, said device comprising:

a) means for positionally anchoring the device (generally enumerated as3) onto the vehicular transport T within the coupling zone Z;

b) means for detecting (generally enumerated as 5) an entry of themotored vehicle V within the coupling zone Z;

c) means for releasing (generally referenced by 7) and a coupling member(generally referenced as 12) for coupling onto the catch C in responseto the entry of the motored vehicle V within said coupling zone Z; andthereby immobilizing said motored vehicle V within said coupling zone Zwith said device 1.

The device 1 catches and immobilizes a moving motored vehicle V (e.g.such as a snowmobile) as illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. The tips of mostsnowmobile skis S are equipped with an eyelet C (normally used forsecuring a tow) which effectively serves as the catch C or coupling unitC for coupling or latching a coupling plunger 12a onto the eyelets C ofsnowmobile ski S. The device 1 is most appropriately used in conjunctionwith a trailer T equipped with means for retaining (generally referencedas 9) the trailer bed (b) in an inclined ramping position while loadingthe snowmobiles V onto trailer T as depicted in FIG. 7.

The depicted device 1 includes a supportive frame 11 equipped with meansfor positionally anchoring (3) the device 1 onto an inner front sidewall(w) and bed (b) of transport T. The depicted frame 11 includes a rearframe section 11A and base frame section 11B equipped with means forbolting 3 the device so as to snuggly fit onto the angular juncture offront sidewall (w) and bed (b). Anchoring of supportive frame 11 ontofront sidewall w and bed b provides a suitable coupling zone Z or zonesZ for immobilizing one or more motored vehicles V onto a transport T.

The depicted trailer T of FIG. 6 is designed to transport twosnowmobiles V in a side-by-side relationship, and shows a centermounting of device 1 upon front sidewall w so as to provide dualcoupling zones Z for coupling two snowmobiles V onto the anchored device1.

The depicted device T is suitably adapted for coupling two snowmobiles Vonto snowmobile trailer T in a side by side relationship and comprisestwo coupling units of device 1, both of which are equipped with sameworking components. The dual units of device 1 are, in essence, a mirrorimage of one another with the depicted left sided unit 1 showing asnowmobile V already loaded and latched onto trailer T while thedepicted right side unit 1 is shown as being in an activated positionfor latching and immobilizing a yet to be loaded snowmobile upon theright side of transport T. The depicted device 1, accordingly, includesdual coupling zones Z which are open for receiving and latching onto theski eyelets C of snowmobile V as illustrated in FIGS. 5-9. The couplingzone Z depicted on the left hand side of FIGS. 2-4 is shown in anunlatched position and ready to receive and latch onto catch C. The leftcoupling zone Z is bordered by left outside angular plate 11C and leftinside angular plate 11D which, in combination with base plate 11B andrear plate 11A, define an accessing opening for ski S to enter the lefthand coupling zone 2. The right hand coupling zone Z, as depicted inFIGS. 2 and 3, is correspondly bordered by right outside angular plate11E and right inside angular plate 11F with rear frame sections 11A andbase frame 11B completing the accessing opening for receiving andimmobilizing ski eyelets C of snowmobile within right coupling zone Z.

The depicted device 1 includes at least one coupling member (generallydesignated as 12) for coupling or latching onto the snowmobile skieyelet C. The depicted coupling members 12 (two shown) respectivelyinclude a plunger head 12a fitted with a plunger rod 13 tapped with tap13a to receive fastener (screw) 14. Biasing spring 15 circumscribesplunger rod 13 and normally biases the plunger head 12a to a latchingposition(as illustrated by the right device 1 depiction of FIGS. 2, 3and 9) unless restrained from entry onto coupling zone Z or unlatchingposition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 or the left unit 1 latching positiondepiction of FIGS. 5 and 8 or when retained for unloading position asshown in FIG. 10. Plunger rod 13, spring 15 and plunger head 12a arereciprocally housed within the barrel chamber 16a of housing 16. Housing11 includes at one end a mounting plate 11b for mounting the couplingmembers 12 onto outside angular plates 11C and 11E as depicted in FIGS.2 and 3. As illustrated by the cross-sectional views (4 and 5; 8-10) ofleft mounted device 1, plunger head 12a is restrained in the withdrawnposition about plunger apertures 11g (e.g. see FIGS. 8 and 10) whenunlatched and bridges between plunger aperture 11g and latching aperture11k when released to the latching position as illustrated by FIGS. 2, 3and 9.

The opposite end of housing 16 includes a plunger stop 16d with anapertured bore sized to slideably receive rod 13 and stop plunger head12a when plunger head 12a and compression spring 15 are withdrawn ontostop 11d. Rubber washer 17, washer 18a, handle 19, washer 18b and lockwasher 18c are secured to tap 13a of plunger rod 13 with screw 14 so asto provide a handled plunger head 12a which may be more easily withdrawnfrom the coupling zone 2 and set in the unlatched position as partiallyillustrated by FIGS. 2-4 and in 8-10.

In the latching position (as depicted in part by FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 7 andseparately in FIG. 9), the plunger head 12a respectively bridges throughand across the left outside angular plate 11C onto inside left angularplate 11D with plunger head 12a being firmly journalled within leftoutside plunger retaining aperture 11g and left inside plunger retainingaperture 11k. The right outside angular plate 11E and right insideangular plate 11F are similarly fitted with an outside plunger retainingaperture 11g and an inside plunger retaining aperture 11k for slideablyreceiving and retaining the corresponding plunger head of the right unitdevice 1.

The depicted device 1 includes detecting means (generally designated as5) for detecting an entry of the motored vehicle V within coupling zoneZ as well as releasing means for releasing (generally designated as 7)and coupling the coupling member 12 onto the snowmobile ski eyelet C inmechanical response to detecting the entry of vehicle V to coupling zone2. As illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 and 8, a pivotally mounted striker plate5A fitted with flanged sidewalls 7A respectively serve to detect andrelease plunger head 12a to the latching or coupling position. Whensnowmobile ski S strikes striker plate 5A and pivotally moves thestriker plate 5A sufficiently forward to cause flanged sidewalls 7A toclear outside plunger retaining aperture 11g so as to allow plunger head12a to plunge through coupling zone Z and catch C onto plunger retainingaperture 11k and thereby firmly latch and immobilize a snowmobile skieyelet C therewithin as illustrated by FIGS. 5, 7 and 9.

Each coupling device 1 of the illustrated combination includes a strikerplate biasing assembly (generally referenced as 21) for applying abiasing force onto striker plate 5A to force flanged sidewalls 7A toblock passage of the plunger head 12a in a restraining position as shownby the broken line 1 of FIG. 1 and by the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4and also by FIGS. 2, 3 and 8. With particular reference to FIGS. 4 and5, the rear plate 11A includes a striker plate plunger opening 11o andbiasing assembly mounting apertures 11P for mounting striker platebiasing assembly 21 onto the back side of rear plate 11A. The strikerbiasing assembly 21 includes housing 21A which houses biasing spring 21Band ram 21C. Spring 21B biases ram 21C firmly against striker plate 5Aand forced inwardly the flanged sidewalls 7A to retain plunger heads 12ain the unlatched or restrained position illustrated by the broken linesdepiction of FIG. 1 and 4.

The cross-sectional view and broken lines of FIG. 4 depicts a ski Sapproaching the coupling zone Z with ram 21C being shown as biasingstriker plate 5A outwardly sufficiently to allow flanged sidewalls 7A torestrain plunger head 12a in the unlatched position. When snowmobile skiS impacts against striker plate 5A with sufficient force to depress ram21C into housing 21A, the pivotal movement of flanged sidewalls 7Aprovides sufficient clearance of the plunger head 12a therefrom to allowthe plunger head 12a to be released therefrom with sufficient force andvelocity to rapidly couple onto and immobilize the snowmobile eyelet Conto anchored device 1.

The cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 shows the pivotally mounted strikerplate 5A depressed against rear frame 1A, biasing spring 22B fullycompressed and ram withdrawn within housing 21A and ski eyelet C clearedfrom restraining flange 7A which allows plunger head 12a to firmlysecure eyelet C onto device 1. When it is desired to reset the couplingmember 12 to a readied position for latching, coupling member 112 iswithdrawn from the coupling zone Z sufficiently to allow the strikerplate biasing assembly 21 to bias striker plate 5A and the restrainingflange plate 7A to restrain plunger head 12a in an unlatched position asdepicted by FIGS. 4 and 8.

FIGS. 8 and 9 respectively depict enlarged cross-sectional views of theleft coupling member 12 in an unlatching position (non-coupling) forloading and in the latched or coupled position. In FIG. 8, retainingflange 7A retains plunger head 12a and compression spring 15 in a fullycompressed and biasing state. Conversely, FIG. 9 depicts restrainingflange plate 7A sufficiently removed from aperture 11g and plunger head12a so as to provide clearance for plunger head 12a and thereby allowcompression spring 15 to propel plunger head 12a through the latchingzone Z and journal onto the apertured opening 11k of left inside frame11D which secures and immobilizes ski eyelet C to device 1.

In order to unload the snowmobile V from transport T, there is a needfor stopping means to temporarily restrain coupling member 12 in theunlatched position. An unloading plunger restraining stop (generallyreferenced by 25) serves as restraining stop to temporarily restrain thecoupling member 12 in an unlatched position. Plunger restraining unit 25holds plunger head 12a in the unlatched position and thereby facilitatesthe unloading of a previously latched snowmobile V from the transport T.As illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 5, the snowmobile ski S of aloaded snowmobile forces flanged retaining plate 7A from the latchingzone Z so that plunger head 12a is released to the latching position. Inthe loaded position, the flanged retaining plate 7A cannot beeffectively used to hold plunger head 12a from the latching zone Z. Theunloading retaining unit 25, accordingly, temporarily serves to restrainplunger head 12a from latching zone Z so that the unlatched snowmobile Vmay then be effectively unloaded from transport T.

The unloading restraining unit 25 includes a pivotally mounted lever 25Awhich, when appropriately moved to a restraining position as illustratedin FIG. 10, restrains coupling member 12 (namely head 12a) and permitsthe temporarily unlatched snowmobile V to be unloaded from transport T.Restraining levers 25A may be pivotally mounted onto the inner walls ofthe outside angular frames (11C and 11E) by a bolt and nut fastener 25Bor other suitable mounts as may be observed by reference to FIGS. 5 and10. As illustrated in FIG. 10, restraining lever 25A may be positionedso as to rest substantially flush onto the inner wall of angular plate11C (or 11E) so as to effectively restrain plunger head 12a frompenetrating coupling zone 2. Restraining lever 25A and fastener 25B arealso positioned sufficiently flush onto plate 11c so as to providesufficient clearance to allow for impacting plate 5a and restrainingflange 7A to move and pivot freely to a latching position and unlatchingposition.

A pair of ring washers (not shown) placed between frame 11C and lever25A and the other washer between fastener nut 25B and lever 25A may beused to facilitate the pivotal movement of lever 25A about fastener bolt25B. Tension upon the movement of lever 25A may be regulated by fastener25B. Lever 25A is also appropriately configured so it obstructs passageof plunger head 12a through the latching zone Z when placed in theunloading restraining position (up) as illustrated in FIG. 10. Exceptfor its use to restrain plunger head 12a in an unlatched position duringunloading, lever 25A is normally positioned in the non-restrainingposition (shown as placed downwardly) as illustrated in the FIGS. 1-5and 8. Thus, when "cocking" device 1 for snowmobile V impacting andcoupling during loading (e.g. see FIG. 4) and while transporting thesnowmobile V in a latched position as depicted in FIG. 5, lever 25A willbe placed in the non-restraining position as depicted by FIGS. 1-9.

The bed (b) preferably includes a pair of polyethylene running guides 31for each snowmobile ski S which serve as a guide for the snowmobileoperator and runner for driving snowmobiles V onto trailer T.Illustratively, the polyethylene guides 31 may measure about 1.5 incheshigh and 1 inch wide and firmly secured or anchored onto trailer bed(b). The polyethylene guides 31 possess a sufficiently low co-efficientof friction to effectively reduce resistance when loading the snowmobileV onto bed (b). The snowmobile operator merely aligns a ski S onto theappropriate guide 31 and drives the snowmobile V onto impacting plate 5Awhich causes retaining plate 7A to release plunger head 12a and secureeyelet C onto the anchored device 1.

A major advantage of the coupling and immobilizing device 1 of thisinvention is illustrated by FIG. 7 which shows the pivotally mounted bedb positioned in an inclined or ramping position with one snowmobile Vbeing already securely latched to the transport T while the secondsnowmobile V is ready for directly loading onto the ramped transport T.As may be observed (e.g. see FIGS. 6 and 7) the transporting trailer Tincludes means (generally referenced as 9) for maintaining the trailerbed b in an inclined position. The depicted transport T includes atelescoping brace 9 equipped with set bolt 9A which when secured in abracing position as shown in FIG. 7 maintains the trailer bed b inramped position for loading and for coupling both snowmobiles V ontotransport T. Unlike conventional snowmobile loading systems whichgenerally require the bed b to be placed at a horizontal position inorder to secure each snowmobile V to bed b, the trailer bed b with theimmobilizing device 1 of this invention may be maintained in a ramped orinclined position while loading and securing both snowmobiles to thelatching device 1. The releasing and latching mechanism of the device 1is quick, safe and reliable. The anchored device 1 will quickly stop andimmobilize a moving snowmobile onto trailer T even while the snowmobileV remains under power. Once latched thereto, the snowmobile V remainsimmobilized against any backward movement upon the ramped bed 1. Thedevice 1 provides a quick and easy system for immobilizing one or 1oresnowmobiles S to trailer T. Injury and damage to person and property canbe substantially reduced by use of the device 1.

What is claimed:
 1. A coupling device adapted for use in catching andimmobilizing a moving motored vehicle equipped with a coupling unit to avehicular transport equipped with a bed adjusted to an inclined rampingposition for driving the vehicle onto the bed by coupling the couplingunit to said device, the device comprising:a) anchoring means for firmlyanchoring said coupling device at a fixed position onto said bed at acoupling position for coupling to the coupling unit; b) a housingdefining a coupling zone for receiving and stopping the coupling unit ofthe moving vehicle; c) coupling means for coupling the coupling unit ofthe vehicle to the device; d) detecting means for detecting the movingvehicle within the coupling zone; e) releasing means for releasing andimmobilizing the vehicle within the coupling zone by coupling thecoupling means to the coupling unit in response to said detecting meansdetecting the moving vehicle within said coupling zone wherein thecoupling means comprises a first plate, a coupling pin slidably mountedto the first plate and actuated by said releasing means to move said pinfrom an unreleased position to a released position, and a second platefor receiving and securely retaining the coupling pin upon release ofsaid pin by said releasing means, the coupling pin not residing in orbeing retained by the second plate when the pin is in said unreleasedposition; and f) an unloading restraining unit for mechanicallyrestraining the coupling means in an uncoupled position so as to permitunloading of an uncoupled vehicle from the bed.
 2. The coupling deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the coupling device comprises a snowmobilecoupling device wherein said anchoring means is adapted for rigidlyanchoring the device to the bed of a snowmobile trailer at the couplingposition so as to permit immobilization of a moving snowmobile having asthe coupling unit an eyelet affixed to a forward section of a snowmobileski, the housing being for receiving and stopping the eyelet within thecoupling zone, and the coupling pin of the coupling means is of astructural configuration and strength for coupling onto and retainingthe eyelet within the coupling zone.
 3. The coupling device according toclaim 2 wherein the detecting means comprises a pivotally mountedimpacting plate, the housing includes a rear stop plate which serves asa stop for the impacting plate and the forward section of the snowmobileski, and the anchoring means is adapted for anchoring the device uponthe bed of the snowmobile trailer so as to permit the forward section ofthe snowmobile ski to impact against the plate upon entry of the eyeletwithin the coupling zone.
 4. The device according to claim 3 wherein thereleasing means comprises a spring for propelling the coupling pin tothe released position when released by said releasing means and aretaining section integrally connected to the impacting plate, with theretaining section serving to retain the coupling pin in said unreleasedposition until activated by the snowmobile ski striking against theimpacting plate which causes the impacting plate and retaining sectionto concurrently pivot and release the coupling pin to the releasedposition.
 5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the coupling pincomprises a spring activated plunger for coupling to an eyelet of asnowmobile ski, with said plunger being retained in an uncouplingposition by said releasing means and wherein the releasing meansincludes a spring for propelling the plunger through the eyelet andsecuring the plunger onto the second plate upon release of the plungerby said releasing means.
 6. A vehicular transport adapted for use incatching and immobilizing a moving motored vehicle equipped with acoupling catch by coupling to the catch within a coupling zone, saidtransport comprising:A) a bedded transport equipped with a bedadjustable to an inclined ramping position and accessing means foraccessing the moving motored vehicle onto the bed when the bed isadjusted to the ramping position; and B) a coupling device firmlyanchored at a fixed position to the bed, with said device comprising:a)coupling detecting means for detecting the moving vehicle within thecoupling zone; b) a coupling housing for receiving and stopping thecoupling catch within the coupling zone; c) coupling means for couplingthe coupling catch of the moving vehicle to the device; and d) releasingmeans for releasing and coupling the coupling means to the catch inresponse to the detecting means detecting the moving vehicle within saidcoupling zone wherein the coupling means comprises a first plate, acoupling pin slidably mounted to the first plate and actuated by saidreleasing means to move said pin from an unreleased position to areleased position, and a second plate for receiving and securelyretaining the coupling pin upon release of said pin by said releasingmeans, the coupling pin not residing in or being retained by the secondplate when the pin is in said unreleased position.
 7. The transportaccording to claim 6 wherein the transport comprises a snowmobiletrailer equipped to transport at least one snowmobile upon the bed, thecoupling device comprises a snowmobile coupling device wherein thecoupling housing includes a snowmobile ski housing section for receivingand stopping a snowmobile ski of a moving snowmobile fitted with a skitip eyelet which serves as the catch for catching and immobilizing saidmoving snowmobile by said coupling means within said coupling zone. 8.The trailer according to claim 7 wherein the detecting means comprises apivotally mounted impacting plate positioned upon the trailer such thatit is capable of being responsive to impacting of a said ski against theimpacting plate.
 9. The snowmobile trailer according to claim 8 whereinthe trailer includes a pivotally mounted bed including multiple couplingzones and equipped to receive multiple snowmobiles, bracing means formaintaining the bed in the ramping position while providing thesnowmobiles access to the multiple coupling zones and a plurality ofcoupling devices positionally mounted to the trailer so as to permit themultiple snowmobiles to be coupled to said coupling devices whilemaintaining said bed in the ramping position.
 10. The snowmobile traileraccording to claim 9 wherein the trailer is equipped with running guideswhich serve as guides for an operator during loading of snowmobiles tothe coupling zones.
 11. The snowmobile trailer according to claim 10wherein the running guides comprise elevated plastic strips of asufficiently low coefficient of friction to permit tracking ofsnowmobile skis of said snowmobiles thereupon.